Nongkosawit as Tourism Village

Nongkosawit as Tourism Village

Based on the data from the tourism office of Semarang, the tourist village is a rural area that has some special characteristics to become a tourist destination. In this area, the population still has a relatively genuine tradition and culture. In addition, some supporting factors such as specialty foods, agricultural systems and social systems also coloring the village as tourism destination. Beside of these factors, the natural and pristine environment is one of the most important factors of a tourist destination. In addition to various uniqueness, the tourist village area should also have various facilities to be visited as a tourist destination.

Based on the decree of Major of Semarang N. 556/407, the village Nongkosawit was designated as tourism village of Semarang, which was valid from 21 December 2012 and did grand opening on 9 September 2013. This village is used as a tourism village as a support of Jatibarang dam reservoir. This tourism village offers cultural tours, nature, and local wisdom. Nongkosawit is used as an educational and cultural tourism village. At least 9 tourist attractions are offered at the Nongkosawit. Among them, livestock (dairy cattle, chicken, and goat), fruit and vegetable plantation, traditional dolanan (games) and gamelan, tour and dance, history, central of tape and traditional snacks, batik painting center, rare birds breeding, Kirab Kyai Bendhe, and bamboo crafts.

The tourism village is built with the aim of improving the existence and elevating the potential of a region and also bring positive impact on the people’s economy. It is also happened in the village Nongkosawit. Although in the implementation, this tourism village not yet run optimally. Nongkosawit region is divided into 5 villages, and the tour centered in RW 1 Nongkosawit Village and RW 2 Randusari Village. Both of these villages have not integrated each other in the process and agenda of tourism village. Although these two villages are under the auspices of a tour-conscious group, the process is still partial and runs independently. In addition, some of the tourism potentials have not been well organized and even damaged. As the spring in 2018 suffered from drought and the water so murky. Whereas the tourism of Nongkosawit is often comes from local wisdom in farming, Kripik River landscape, and the existence of long-tailed monkeys.

Blowing up the Nongkosawit existence as a tourism village also influenced the cultural agenda in the village. Every year there are events that become routine agenda of the residents, like Bende Carnival, and Nyadran, in the Grave of Sipule. This activity is also expected to improve the existence of Nongkosawit and attract tourists. Although technically, the implementation of this tourism village is still very poor in the arrangement of tourist attractions as well as community participation and residents’ understanding of the tourism village itself.

Nongkosawit becomes a tourism village along with two other villages in Gunungpati district namely Wonolopo Village and Kandri Village. This three villages became tourism village as the sustainability of the construction of the Jatibarang Reservoir. Wonolopo and Nongkosawit will be an area of supporting tourism for Kandri Village where the Jatibarang reservoir was built.

The village of Nongkosawit itself has 5 villages or RW which developed into a tourist village with the main concept of agro tourism. But basically, each village has their own uniqueness which different each other. According to Warsono as the chairman of Nongkosawit’s Tourism Awareness Group, every village is expected to develop according to its uniqueness. RW 1 Nongkosawit Village develop itself with agritourism and art culture, supported by the cultural activists who also developed the Wayang Ringut in the area. RW 2 Randusari Village flourished with agritourism and natural tourism, which was also provide the habitants of long -tailed monkey that became his most famous object. In RW 3 Jedung Village, there is a water door of Sungai Kripik, also pepper plantation and durian plantation managed by the residents, although Jedung Village remains one of the most closed village among other villages in Kelurahan Nongkosait in his acceptance to become a tourism village. In RW 4 Kampung Kepoh, there is the rice fields of Loh called Tuk Jemblong. Sawah Loh means paddy fields that are never dry, both in the dry season and rainy season. In addition, there is a Joglo house that is used as a place to stay for guests who travel both in Nongkosawit and Kandri and Wonolopo Villages. The Joglo house is a private ownership of the residents and is privately managed as well. RW 5 Getas Village is the only village that became a thematic village called Kampung Osin or processed cassava. This village has many residents who make various snacks from cassava-base and also tape and sticky rice tape. In relation to the tourism village, this village sells the processed foods as its tourist attraction.